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This Greek Revival style
house at 191 King Street East was built prior to 1863 and survived the Great
1877 Fire. The house is on land which were originally numbered lots 363 and
364. The current evidence suggests that the house was built for Samuel P.
Osgood, a marble merchant. In fact, the house was built as a duplex, with the
other accommodation unit being inhabited by James Milligan, a fellow marble
worker, as early as 1869. Osgood and his wife sold the property to Edward F.
Greany in 1890. Prior to 1923 another property transfer took place between
Greany and Mary M. Cassidy. In 1923 Cassidy sold the property to William J.
Magee. His family retained ownership of the property until selling it to the
Wayne Macfarlane in 1998.
Another notable resident of the building was A.L. Goodwin, a commission merchant, who established the first fruit importing house in the city located in the building that now houses the Saint John City Market. More detailed biographical descriptions of S.P. Osgood and A.L Goodwin follow on the next page.
This is a two and a half storey wood frame
building, built in the Greek Revival style. This style was popular in Saint
John from circa 1820 until circa 1880. This style became prominent as
architects and builders promoted the classical proportions of Greek temples as
symbols of stability and optimism of colonial expansion. This style was very
adaptable and was used on plain farmhouses, homesteads, 1 1/2 story homes,
stately townhouses and formal mansions.
| The Massing of the Greek Revival home is: | |
| Height to Width Ratio: | classical proportions, wider than high |
| Roof: | gable or hipped, low slope, fascia band emphasized |
| Facade Arrangement: | classical simplicity door featured extensive use of columns, approximately 25% openings |
| Rhythm: | often created by a colonnade of columns or regular window repetition |
| The Elements of the Greek Revival home are: | |
| Entry: | central location, more dominant than windows often with a pediment and columns or pilasters |
| Windows: | vertical sliders, symmetrically placed, often with pedimented entablature or decorative cresting |
| Roof: | low slope most often gabled with returned eaves |
| Chimneys: | one or two at each end symmetrically placed |
| Dormers: | rare, usually gabled with pediment or returned eaves |
| The Details of the Greek Revival home are: | |
| Entry: | 4 or 8 panel door, with a heavy pedimented entablature supported by classical columns, with Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian capitals. Egg and dart design often incorporated in mouldings |
| Windows: | divided by muntins to give 6 panels in each sash. Frame trim is often tapered with "eared" moulding Porch: usually with a pedimented roof supported by an even number of columns with Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian capitals |
| Walls: | early buildings in wood with wide corner boards, later buildings in brick/sandstone with quoin stones and pilasters at corners |
| Roof/Wall: | wide fascia divided to create frieze and architrave often with egg and dart mouldings and acanthus leaves |
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Brunswick Community College - Saint John.